September in Banff-Kananaskis: Back to School and Prepping for Back to Legislature
I love September mornings. The cooler, crisp air, and that golden slant of light that gives everything a golden glow. The leaves start to change, and the best hiking is yet to come! Around Alberta, it also means backpacks by the door, school buses back on the highways, and community halls filling up again with the season’s first meetings. I always enjoy this time of year. It feels like the whole community exhales after a busy summer and settles back into its rhythm.
I’ve spent much of the last few weeks talking with folks at farmers’ markets, on trails, in Bragg Creek and Millarville, and everywhere in between. I’ve loved every chat and interaction and it’s all stewing in my mind as I get ready to head back to the legislature next month.
Back to School in Banff-Kananaskis
I love the energy that Back to School brings to our communities. I have so much respect for the teachers, educational assistants, and school staff across our riding who pour themselves into this work every single year. The year ahead looks bright because of the hard you all do throughout the year!
Parents have been sharing what they want for our schools too – more support for students who need it and teachers who aren’t spread impossibly thin. Our local schools are great spaces that welcome our diverse constituents and work with students to help them succeed. I’ve enjoyed visiting schools across our riding and meeting many of our young students as they learn about provincial politics and democracy. The future is bright with this next generation at the helm – they ask great questions and are very engaged! Families here are proud of their local schools. They want to see that pride matched with real investment, not just kind words in September.
Looking Back on the Teachers’ Strike
One year ago, so many of us felt differently about the Back to School Time. The Teachers’ Strike was hard for many of us and was an important reminder of the critical work our teachers do! Missed school days, disrupted routines, and anxiety on all sides. The strike put a spotlight on the fact that our public education system has been asked to do more and more with less and less for a very long time.
Looking back, I think the strike shows us just how much teachers are carrying. Not only lesson planning and marking, but supporting kids with complex needs, managing overcrowded classrooms, and often paying out of pocket for basic supplies. It also showed how much Albertans care about public education. People showed up, in record numbers at protests across the province. People talked to their neighbours, wrote letters, and made it clear that they expect better for their kids and for the people teaching them.
And the government responded by invoking the Notwithstanding clause on our first day back in the Legislature and took away teacher’s rights, forcing them back to work. It’s a day that still haunts me. I never thought I’d be an MLA debating the need for people to retain their Chartered Rights.
A year later and many of the same issues persist. Class sizes are still too large in too many schools. Supports for students with additional needs are still stretched thin. Teachers deserve support from the province for the critical job they do. Along with my colleagues, I will keep advocating for investing in our public school system to make sure that all teachers, staff, and students can succeed!
Upcoming Referendum
The Alberta Government will be holding a referendum on October 19th, 2026. Everyone needs to get out and vote! Referendums are an important part of our democracy at work where a government asks people important questions so that all Albertans can have a voice in policy decisions. This referendum will have 10 questions, each of which will be on a separate ballot. There are 5 questions centering around immigration policy, 4 around constitutional reform, and one around Alberta staying in Canada. The questions are complicated and may take a bit of time to research and understand. It’s a good idea to do some research online to understand what the questions are and what their implications are. The results of the referendum may guide the government’s mandate over the next year.
As ballots will be hand counted and each question is on a separate ballot, the line ups on voting day will be long and the process may take a while before results are complete. I am encouraging people to sign up for mail-in ballots or plan to visit an advance polling station. All the information for voting procedure and the questions themselves are on the Elections Alberta website. Mark your calendar, put a vote plan in place, and VOTE!
Let’s Stay In Touch
September always feels like a fresh start, and I’m genuinely looking forward to the work ahead this fall both at home in Banff-Kananaskis and in Edmonton. If there’s something on your mind, whether it’s about schools, healthcare, our parks, or anything else affecting your family or your community, I’d love to hear from you. Reach out through my constituency office the way you always have. Your stories are what motivate the work I do on your behalf, and I always value hearing your thoughts.
Here’s to a good September, Banff- Kananaskis. Enjoy the fall colours while they last!
Sarah Elmeligi
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